NET working short stories

Regional NET Coordinating Team NET Section CDI EDB August 2012
Using Short Stories
in the
English Classroom
2
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:47
About the Learning English through Short Stories elective module
The Learning English through Short Stories module is designed to introduce learners to
the world of short stories, encouraging them to read, write and tell them. The activities
that learners engage in should aim to develop their understanding of the major features
of short stories, their language skills, cultural awareness, critical thinking skills and
creativity. By the end of the module, learners are expected to write a story or develop
one from a given story outline.
The module comprises the following three parts:
Part 1: Students will identify and understand the key features of a short story and read
short stories with appreciation.
Part 2: Students will read and write specic aspects of a short story such as setting,
character, theme, dialogue, opening and closing, and they will start writing their own
story for the module.

Part 3: Students will practise oral and storytelling skills by sharing a story with the
class. They will also nalise the draft for their module story and perform it.

(Adapted from the English Language Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary
4 - 6), CDC & HKEAA, 2007)

Rationale for this publication
In NETworking: Using Short Stories in the English Classroom, you will nd teaching
resources that are designed to support the Learning English through Short Stories
elective module in the Three-year Senior Secondary English Language Curriculum.
Many of the materials in this book have been used in the professional development

workshops for ‘Shorts’: A Short Story Writing Competition organised by the NET Section.
The workshop materials have been revised and updated for this publication to be used
more generally in the elective module on Short Stories.
Although this resource package is designed to be a companion to the Short Stories
elective module, it is hoped that teachers will also nd the materials useful as an
integral part of the school-based English Language curriculum
Introduction
3
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
The NET Section would like to thank the following writers for granting us permission to
use their original short stories and ideas in this publication:
Stuart Mead, NET
Chong Gene Hang College
Adrian Tilley, former NET
Jockey Club Ti-I College
For contributing ideas on the use of peer response groups, we are grateful to:
Helen Wong, English Panel Chair
United Christian College (Kowloon East)
We also appreciate the many teachers who have shared ideas and materials with us on
the teaching of short stories through regional cluster meetings and email exchanges.
Although we are not able to use every idea, we appreciate all the good work that is
happening in Hong Kong schools in preparation for the Short Stories elective module.
The following prize-winning short stories from ‘Shorts’: A Short Story Writing Competition
have been selected for this publication and are available on the Resource CD:
‘Shorts’ 2010: ‘The Magic Door’ by Alexandria Lee Yik-ki, Christie C. Cheng,
Anthea Pang Yin-seng and Nicole Hurip from Marymount Secondary School
‘Shorts’ 2011: ‘The Machine’ by Felix Shih Y. Y., Jeremy Chan Chun-ming,
Trevor Sham Tsz-ho and Cheung Chi-kwan from Wah Yan College, Hong
Kong
The following prize-winning lms from ‘Clipit’: A Student-created Film Competition have

been selected for this publication and are available on the Resource CD:
‘Clipit’ 2010: Untitled lm by Sprindy Wong Yi-man, Sam Kok Man-chun, Ken
Ho Cheuk-him and Watery Choi Chin-wa from Po Leung Kok Tang Yuk Tien
College
‘Clipit’ 2010: ‘The Precious Thing’ by Hong Kiu, Tang Pui-shan, Kwan Siu-hoi,
Lam Sze-wa and Wong Shing-lung from Hoi Ping Chamber of Commerce
Secondary School

Acknowledgements
4
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Part 1: Reading and Appreciating Short Stories

History of the Short Story ………………………………………… … …
Selecting Suitable Short Stories …………………………………………… ….
Supporting Student Reading ………………………………………………
Part 2: Writing Short Stories
Organising the Writing Activity ………………………………………… …
Planning a Short Story …………………………………………….………
Developing Characters ……………………………………………… ……
Describing the Setting …………………………………………………… …
Writing Dialogue ………………………………………………………………
Completing the Story …………………………………………………….…
Part 3: Telling Stories
Sharing Stories …………………………… …………………….……………
The Module Story …………………………………………………… ………
Using ‘Clipit’ Films …………………………………………………… ………
Appendix: ‘The Knock at the Door’ by Stuart Mead .……… …

This icon indicates that a document is available on the Resource CD.
page
2
11
17
46
55
58
70
73
78
82
90
94
97
Contents
5
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
Resource CD Contents
Part 1: Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Handouts
Worksheets
Answer keys
PowerPoints
Part 2: Writing Short Stories
Handouts
Worksheets
Answer keys
PowerPoints

Assessment Forms
Part 3: Telling Stories
Handouts
Worksheets
Answer keys
PowerPoints
Assessment Forms
Resources
‘Clipit’ Films
Short Stories
Publications and Websites
6
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
Part 1
Reading and Appreciating
Short Stories
History of the Short Story ………………………… 2
Selecting Suitable Short Stories ………………… 11
Supporting Student Reading ……………………… 17
7
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
2
History of the Short Story
A myth is a traditional story that explains the beliefs of a people about the natural and
human world. The main characters in myths are usually gods or supernatural heroes.
The stories are set in the distant past. The people who told these stories believed that
they were true.
A legend is a traditional story about the past. The main characters are usually kings
or heroes. Some examples of well-known legends include the tales of Odysseus from
Ancient Greece, Beowulf from the Norse lands and King Arthur from Old England. Like

myths, legends were thought to be true.
Handout 1.1:
Myths and
Legends
Folklore
Stories are an important part of every culture. Short stories have their roots in folklore,
or the oral tradition of storytelling. In the oral tradition, stories were told to explain
beliefs about the world (e.g. myths), to remember the great deeds of past kings and
heroes (e.g. legends), to teach moral principles (e.g. fables and parables) or simply for
the sake of entertainment (e.g. folktales and fairy tales).
The following handout on the Resource CD contains information on myths and
legends.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
8
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:48
3
A fable is a brief story intended to teach a moral lesson. The main characters are
usually animals, objects in nature (e.g. mountains, lakes, stones) or forces of nature
(e.g. the sun, the wind, the rain), which are given human qualities.

The most famous fables in Western tradition are Aesop’s fables from Ancient Greece.
There are also many well-known fables from China, India and other Asian cultures.
A parable is a brief story that illustrates a moral principle through the use of metaphor.
Unlike fables, the main characters of parables are human beings.
The most widely-read parables in Western tradition are the parables of Jesus in the
New Testament of the Bible. There are also many parables from the Buddhist tradition
and from ancient Chinese philosophers like Confucius, Mencius and Han Fei Zi.
This handout contains information on fables and parables.
Handout 1.2:

Fables and
Parables
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
9
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:49
4
A folktale is an anonymous story passed on through generations by word of mouth.
Folktales are often timeless and placeless, with formulaic openings like: ‘Once upon
a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived an old man and an old woman in a small
cottage in the forest…’ Folktales were told as a form of entertainment.
‘Folktale’ is a general term that can include a wide range of traditional narratives, such
as myths, legends, fables and fairy tales.
A fairy tale is a traditional folktale involving imaginary creatures such as fairies, wizards,
elves, trolls, gnomes, goblins and re-breathing dragons.
Handout 1.3:
Folktales and
Fairy Tales
This handout contains information on folktales and fairy tales.
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons
exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
G. K. Chesterton
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
10
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:49
5
A ghost story is a story about ghosts or other supernatural beings. In cultures all over
the world, ghost stories have been told and passed down orally from generation to
generation. These stories reect the superstitious fears and beliefs that people had in

various cultures. Stories about witches, ghosts, goblins, vampires, werewolves and all
sorts of land and sea monsters came out of the oral tradition of storytelling.
A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements that are exaggerations of the truth.
The characters are usually heroes that are ‘larger than life’. Many tall tales are based
on actual people. The tall tale is a part of the American folktale tradition. Some famous
examples include Johnny Appleseed, Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, John Henry and
Pecos Bill.
A trickster tale is a story involving a character, usually an animal, who likes to play
tricks on other characters. Trickster tales are common in many cultures. Cartoons like
Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner are based on trickster tales.
This handout contains information about ghost stories and other tales from the oral
tradition, such as tall tales, trickster tales and urban legends.
Handout 1.4:
Ghost Stories
and Other
Tales
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
11
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:49
6
These stories are available in illustrated children’s books and in simplied readers (e.g.
Macmillan Readers, Oxford Bookworms Library, Penguin Longman Readers).
Handout 1.5:
The Early
Literary
Tradition
An urban legend, also known as an urban myth, is a story that is thought to be true,
but is usually not. Urban legends may contain elements of truth, but they are usually
exaggerated and sensationalised.

Television programmes such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not! (1949-1950, 1982-1986,
2000-2003), Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997-2002), Mostly True Stories: Urban
Legends Revealed (2002-2008), Mythbusters (2003-present), and Urban Legends
(2007-present) have helped popularise urban legends in recent times. Urban legends
are also commonly spread by e-mail.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
The Early Literary Tradition
The rst stories to be written down were stories from the oral tradition, such as Aesop’s
Fables and the many other fables, folktales and fairy tales recorded by storytellers and
story collectors around the world.
The following handout contains information about some of the earliest stories from the
oral tradition to be preserved in writing as part of the literary tradition in English.
12
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:49
7
Many of these stories are available in simplied readers (e.g. Macmillan Readers,
Oxford Bookworms Library, Penguin Readers).
The Short Story Develops
In the 19th Century, the short story developed as a literary form as magazines became
more popular and widely read.

Many 19th Century writers contributed to the development of the short story as a literary
form. These writers are frequently anthologised in collections of short stories.
The following handout contains information about some of these writers and the short
stories they wrote.
Handout 1.6:
The Short
Story Develops
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories

History of the Short Story
13
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:49
8
Handout 1.7:
The Early 20th
Century
The Early 20th Century
By the 20th Century, the short story was a well-established literary form in the West,
thanks to the inuence of earlier writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant,
and Anton Chekhov. The short story continued to ourish throughout the 20th Century
due to the proliferation of popular magazines. Writers began to use the literary form of
the short story to explore a variety of genres, including love stories, fantasy and horror
stories, crime and mystery stories, and science ction.
Many short stories written in the early 20th Century reect issues related to the Age
of Industrialisation. During this time, a growing number of people left their farmlands
and moved to the cities to work in factories. Some short stories feature the lives of
immigrants, who worked hard and learned to adapt to a new language and culture in an
unfamiliar environment. Major historical events like World War I, the Great Depression
and World War II form the backdrop to many of the best short stories written in the rst
half of the 20th Century.
The following handout contains information about some of the most frequently
anthologised short story writers of the early 20th Century.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
14
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:50
9
Many 20th Century short stories written by the authors listed in Handouts 1.7 and 1.8
are available in simplied form.

The Late 20th Century
Short stories written in the latter part of the 20th Century often reect the pressures of
modern life and deal with issues that affect society, the family and the individual.

The application of science and technology also becomes a major theme in many short
stories written in the years after World War II. The genre of science ction is popularised
by writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury.
The following handout contains information about some of the most frequently
anthologised short story writers in the latter part of the 20th Century.
Handout 1.8:
The Late 20th
Century
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
15
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:50
10
The Short Story Today
English has truly become a global language and there are more and more writers, both
male and female, from countries and cultures all over the world writing their stories in
English, even when English is not their mother tongue.
F. Sionil Jose from the Philippines, Farida Karodia from South Africa and the Maori
writer Witi Ihimaera are just a few notable examples. Ha Jin is another example. He is
a Chinese writer living in the United States who writes short stories in English about
the struggles of ordinary Chinese people.

Some publishers of simplied readers are now including authors like these in short
story collections under the category of ‘World Stories’.
“The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are
lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in.”

Harold Goddard, The Meaning of Shakespeare
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
History of the Short Story
16
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:50
11
Introduction
The short stories you select for your students to read in the Learning English through
Short Stories elective module will depend largely on the language and interest level of
your students.
The Suggested Schemes of Work for the Elective Part of the Three-year Senior
Secondary English Language Curriculum (Secondary 4-6) recommends that teachers
go over one short story with students at the beginning of the module to highlight the
features of a short story, using ‘pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading activities’;
students should then ‘be encouraged to read a couple of stories’ on their own and
respond to them in a reading journal. (p. 14-15)
Selecting Texts for Instruction
For the rst short story of the module, it is important to select a story that is at the
‘instructional level’ for the majority of students in the class. An instructional level
text is one in which a student is able to read at least 90% of the words accurately
and understand no less than 75% of the overall content. If the text is too difcult,
the teacher will spend too much time explaining vocabulary and scaffolding student
learning. Students will spend too much time focusing on word recognition and will
struggle to understand the meaning.
To determine whether a particular short story is at the instructional level for the majority
of students in a class, the teacher can conduct a quick reading test with a random
sample of 10 students. For the test, the teacher selects one paragraph of roughly
100 words from the short story. Each of the 10 students then meets with the teacher
individually and follows the procedures below.
Suggested procedures

1. The student holds out two hands on the desk and reads the paragraph aloud.
2. The student puts down one nger for every unfamiliar word.
3. The teacher analyses the results:
a. If the student puts down all 10 ngers before nishing the paragraph, the
story is too difcult for the student;
b. If the student still has at least one nger up at the end of the paragraph,
the story is likely to be appropriate for instructional reading;
c. If the student still has at least six ngers up at the end of the paragraph,
the story is likely to be appropriate for independent reading.
Selecting Suitable Short Stories
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
17
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:50
12
This table describes the three reading levels in terms of word-level accuracy.
Handout 1.9:
Short Story
Genres
If the teacher expects students to read a short story and respond to it in a reading
journal, the short story should be at students’ independent reading level.
Short Story Genres
To give students a more varied experience with short stories, teachers are encouraged
to introduce stories from various genres. The following handout on the Resource CD
contains information about the major short story genres.
Reading
level
Word
accuracy
Description

Independent > 95% The student can read and understand at least 96% of the words.
The text is relatively easy for the student.
The text is a good choice for the student to develop uency.
Instructional 90%-95% The students can read and understand 90-95% of the words.
The text is challenging but manageable for the student.
The text is appropriate for instructional reading.
Frustration < 90% The student cannot read or understand more than 10% of the words.
The text is difcult for the student.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
18
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:50
13
Using Simplied Readers
Many short stories are available in simplied readers for English language learners.
The table below lists some of the advantages and disadvantages to consider when
using simplied readers.
If you choose to use a short story in a simplied reader with your students, also have
them read excerpts from the original version of the story. By doing so, students will be
able to analyse and appreciate the use of language in the original text.
Several major publishers produce sets of simplied readers. More information is
available on their websites.
Advantages Disadvantages
The language is graded for English language
learners at various levels.
Students can read, understand and appreciate
some of the best-loved stories written in
English.
Pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading
activities are often provided.

A CD is often provided so that students can
listen to the stories as they read them.
The beauty of the language is often lost in the
simplied text.
The stories are often reduced to plot summaries
so students may not be very interested in the
story.
The pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading
activities are not always well-designed.

Opportunities for students to practise reading
strategies may be reduced with a simplied text.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
“No matter how busy you think you are, you must find time for
reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”
Confucius
19
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51
14
Handout 1.10:
Children’s
Literature
Using Children’s Literature
Children’s literature may also work well in the short story module. Handout 1.10 contains
information about some of the most popular authors of children’s literature in English.
The table below lists some of the advantages and disadvantages to consider when
using children’s literature.
Schools can buy children’s literature for the school library (see Handout 1.10 for
suggestions) and students can be encouraged to read them on their own. Teachers

can also read the stories with the whole class. A good story from children’s literature
can serve to illustrate concepts like character, setting, plot and theme in a fun and
interesting way.
Advantages Disadvantages
The stories are beautifully illustrated.
The language is rich and authentic.
The plot structure is usually simple.
The themes are often thought-provoking.
The books are expensive.
The language can be difcult for second language
learners to understand and appreciate.
Secondary students may perceive stories from
children’s literature to be too childish.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
20
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51
15
Using English Short Stories Set in Hong Kong
Teachers may want to use short stories written in English by Hong Kong-based authors,
although some of these stories are not easy.
City Voices: Hong Kong Writing in English, 1945 to the Present (Hong Kong University
Press, 2002) has a ne selection of novel excerpts and short stories written by authors
with a Hong Kong background, such as Xu Xi, Timothy Mo and David T. K. Wong.
Xu Xi’s Access: Thirteen Tales (Signal 8 Press, 2011) is a collection of short stories
featuring a wide range of strong female characters in Hong Kong.
Two additional sources of local ction are Asia Literary Review and Cha: An Asian
Literary Journal. More information about these sources is available at the websites
below:
City Voices: Hong Kong Writing in English, 1945-Present

www.hkupress.org
Asia Literary Review

www.asialiteraryreview.com
Cha: An Asian Literary Journal

www.asiancha.com
Adrian Tilley, a former Native-speaking English Teacher (NET), has published a book
of short stories suitable for young people in Hong Kong called Cheung Chau Paradise
and Other Stories (Meejah Publications, 2006). More information about this collection
of short stories is available on his website: />You will nd two of Adrian Tilley’s short stories on the Resource CD. You will also nd
two short stories written by Stuart Mead, as well as two stories written by Hong Kong
secondary students for ‘Shorts’: A Short Story Writing Competition. These stories can
be printed and used in the classroom for the Short Stories elective module.
“Hong Kong is … dense with history, from the pre-historic through
the many changing Chinese dynasties, to its present position as a
world financial centre where international routes interweave on a
daily basis. What more can a writer ask for ?”

Louise Ho, City Voices
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
21
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51
16
Using Other Stories

Other types of stories that may be considered in the Short Stories module include
jokes, anecdotes, personal recounts and short feature stories in the news.

The Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series, edited by Jack Caneld, Mark Victor
Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger, contains a wide range of inspirational stories written
for young people.
The following websites are good resources for self-access learning. Students can use
them to practise their English skills through reading stories.

www.rong-chang.com/qa2/
This website has a large collection of stories for students learning English as a second
language. There are also audio les and exercises for vocabulary, grammar and
comprehension practice.
www.short-funny-stories.com
This website has a large number of short funny stories on a variety of topics similar
to those that circulate on the Internet. Students can search for stories by category or
select stories randomly.
www.merlynspen.org
This website has an online library of short stories written by students. Click on ‘You
Read’ and follow the link to ‘Enter the Library’. Search by genre (e.g. ‘Horror’) to nd
short stories that your students will enjoy reading. They may also be inspired to write
similar stories of their own.
Finding Short Stories Online
The following websites contain short stories that are in the public domain. If you are
looking for the original version of a short story, these are good websites to know
about.
/> /> /> /> />www.short-stories.co.uk
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Selecting Suitable Stories
22
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51
17
Supporting Student Reading

Beginning the Module
After selecting suitable short stories, you are ready to begin the Short Stories module.
You may want to begin the module with a brainstorming activity to help students think
about the different genres of the stories they know. The following worksheet is designed
for this purpose.
Suggested Procedures
1. Students work in groups of three or four.
2. Distribute the worksheet and explain that ‘genre’ refers to the type of story,
e.g. fairy tale, love story, horror story.
3. Students brainstorm in groups and complete the mind map with the genres
they know and with examples for each genre.
4. Students share their responses with the whole class.
5. Ask students which genres and stories they like best, and to explain their
reasons.
Worksheet 1.1:
Story Genres
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Supporting Student Reading
23
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51
18
Activities for Teaching a Short Story
After selecting a suitable short story to read with the class, it is time to prepare pre-
reading, while-reading and post-reading activities to support students with reading and
appreciating the story. These activities should help students develop their language
skills, critical thinking skills, cultural awareness and creativity as they read and interact
with the story. Students will also become more familiar with the major features of short
stories as a literary form.
Below are examples of reading activities for the short story ‘The Knock at the Door’
by Stuart Mead, which can be found in Appendix I and on the Resource CD. Similar

activities can be designed and used for any short story.
Pre-reading Activities
Students should be encouraged to engage in pre-reading activities and to establish
a purpose for reading. Well-structured pre-reading activities are most important with
students who have a low level of reading prociency. As students become more
competent readers, teachers will be able to reduce the amount of support and allow
students to do pre-reading activities independently.
Pre-reading activities can serve the following purposes:

• Activate prior knowledge and/or provide background information necessary
for comprehending the text.
• Clarify cultural information that may cause comprehension difculties.
• Familiarise students with features of the genre/text type.
• Encourage students to make predictions based on the title, the illustrations
and/or the opening of the story.
Many teachers may also feel the need to pre-teach vocabulary before students read a
short story. However, to develop students’ reading skills it is better to give students as
many opportunities as possible to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words using pictorial
or contextual clues. These skills can be modelled and explicitly taught in the while-
reading phase. This will be discussed further in ‘While-reading Activities’.
In the following sample activities, students must think about the genre of the story, as
well as information about the characters, setting and plot development, before making
informed predictions about the story.
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Supporting Student Reading

“Read, read, read.”
William Faulkner
24
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:51

19
Pre-reading Activity 1: Activating Schemata
Part of the reading process involves applying prior knowledge
and experience of the world to the text in order to make sense of
it. What we already know about the world is sometimes referred
to as our ‘schemata’. When we read about an unfamiliar topic,
reading comprehension becomes much more difcult. One way to
help students improve their reading comprehension is to give them
background information about the topic and/or help them activate their
schemata. In the following activity, students must use their knowledge
of the story genre and their imagination to make predictions about the
story.
Suggested Procedures
1. Tell students to close their eyes. Play a recording of spooky music to create
a feeling of suspense. Knock hard on the desk or door three times quickly.
2. Tell students that what they have heard is a scene in the story that they are
about to read. Ask students to guess which story genre it is and why they
think so.
3. Accept reasonable answers, such as ‘horror story’ or ‘ghost story’. Students
should be able to relate the spooky music and loud knocks to their prior
experience with horror stories or ghost stories.
4. Ask students to guess:
• Who is knocking in the story?
• What is the person knocking on?
• Why is the person knocking so loudly?
• What time is it in the story?
• Where does the story take place?
5. Record students’ guesses on the board.
6. Tell students the title of the story. Ask if they would like to change their
responses to the questions.

7. Ask students: If you were in the house alone, would you open the door?
Why/Why not?
8. Conduct a picture walk to preview and make predictions of the story. (See
Step 2 of Suggested Procedures for Pre-reading Activity 2.)
Part 1 - Reading and Appreciating Short Stories
Supporting Student Reading
25
221204248_EDB_Text.pdf July 31, 2012 12:34:52